you take me there
by russelia
Summary: ONE DIRECTION. Harry's in love with his brother's best friend, Louis. Harry/Louis


Harry's getting jittery sitting in his bed as his eyes burn holes on the clock, fingers gripping the edge until his knuckles are white. He hasn't seen Louis in a while and Danny's told him Louis would be coming over for a study session. Of course by study session, he means smoking weed in the back and wasting the day in front of the television playing videogames with enough junk food to feed an entire village, but Harry doesn't care. He just wants to see Louis.

He jumps up from his bed and rests his hands on the windowsill, looking down at their driveway to see if they've arrived. A few cars speed by but there's no sign of Danny's old, beat-up Volvo anywhere, and he huffs loudly, anxiety growing, and leaves his room to get a drink.

He passes by the kitchen table and sees a few bills on a placemat, and he sweeps over and pockets it. His mum's already gone to go out with her girlfriends, which suits Harry just fine. The less people the better.

Just as he's going over to the fridge and taking out the milk carton, he hears the jingling of keys, and he pokes his head out from the kitchen in time to see the door opening. Danny's obnoxious laughter spills into the house as he slips inside and Harry's heart starts to pick up. He puts the carton back and slams the fridge closed, eyes glued to the doorway, and his face starts to burn when Louis appears behind Danny, tottering like a seven year old and laughing at something he had just said. Harry smiles stupidly when he sees him wearing the red-striped shirt he got for his birthday. He likes it when Louis wears stripes.

"Oi!" Danny exclaims and Harry walks over to him, Louis giving him a wave and slipping Danny's bag from his shoulders. Harry's eyes follow him as he retires to the living room and throws their bags on the sofa. "Has Mum gone yet?" Harry nods, still looking at Louis.

"Yes!" Danny says with a laugh, and turning to Louis, he adds, "We don't have to go outside after all. Well, go on! Take it out, what're you waiting for?"

Louis laughs and takes out a small metal box from his bag, and Danny makes his way to the living room. Harry silently saunters behind him.

Danny sits beside Louis as he's rolling and throws an arm over the sofa. Harry sits opposite them in their dad's chair and watches them light the paper, Danny taking the first hit.

"Hi, Louis," Harry says abruptly, his voice cracking, and Louis coughs, surprised. He hands the blunt to Danny and grins at Harry.

"Hey, Haz, how you been?" he says, and Harry's face, already red from embarrassment over his voice cracking, turns a deeper shade, and he gives a shrug, dropping his eyes to the floor.

"Nothing much. Just wondering why you haven't been coming over lately."

Danny laughs out of nowhere and Harry waves the smoke away, the potent smell making his nose itch.

"Sorry, mate, I've just been so busy lately with school and that," Louis says, leaning back in the sofa, and Danny drops his arm on his shoulder as he takes another hit. Harry's heart skips a beat and he gets a sudden urge to jump from his seat and rip his arm off into pieces.

"Yeah, busy with—what's her name again? Diana?" Danny says with a cackle and Louis snickers, slapping Danny's chest with the back of his hand. Harry's stomach drops at the name and he shifts uncomfortably in his seat, the haze hanging in the room making him cough.

"Not true," Louis says, snatching the blunt from Danny's fingers. "I've never even spoken to her, you twat." He takes a deep hit and lets the smoke spill slowly from his lips like a waterfall. Harry stares, mesmerized.

"Oi, get me something to drink," Danny demands, throwing a pillow at Harry. Harry shoots him daggers and throws the pillow back, missing his head a few centimeters. Danny laughs and Harry's face gets redder, and he shifts his eyes slowly to Louis to see if he saw. His eyes are closed and his head is resting on Danny's shoulder, chest softly rising and falling. He looks like he's sleeping.

"Louis, do you want anything to drink?" Harry asks, and Louis's eyes lazily open. He hands the blunt back to Danny and nods slowly at Harry with a smile. Butterflies explode in Harry's chest and he gets up from his seat and grabs a water bottle from the fridge. When he returns, Danny's whispering in Louis's ear and Louis is giggling, and for a terrifying second, Harry thinks they might be talking about him. He walks over to give Louis his water and Louis takes it with a smile.

"Thanks," Louis says, sitting up and taking a sip. Harry blushes and stares, watching water dribble sloppily down the sides of his mouth.

"The fuck you lookin' at, weirdo?" Danny exclaims, taking the bottle from Louis's hand and downing the rest in one gulp.

"None of your fuckin' business," Harry retorts sharply and Louis laughs, hands clapping in front of him. Harry cracks a smile.

"Leave him alone, Dan," Louis says, taking out another piece of paper and rolling a new one. Danny throws the bottle at Harry and Harry, catching it, throws it back, hitting him right in the forehead. Louis almost drops the blunt from laughing too hard, and he gives Harry a thumb's up. Harry chuckles nervously like he always does when he gets Louis's attention. Louis takes out his lighter and looks at Harry, who's stopped chuckling and is now back to watching him. He laughs and motions for Harry to come over.

"You want to try it?" Louis asks, reaching out the roll and patting the space next to him. "Come sit beside me." Harry's heart nearly jumps from his chest as he gets to his feet and shuffles over to Louis. He can't recall the last time they've been this close, and his face starts to burn bright red when he feels their thighs touching. Louis lights it and leans forward, letting it hover a few inches from Harry's lips. Harry watches him with wide eyes, and even with the strong smell wafting around the room, he can still smell Louis's cologne, and he wishes he were inhaling that instead.

"Open your lips," Louis instructs, and Harry parts his lips slowly, feeling his heart beating in his throat. When he feels the paper, Louis leans in closer, so close Harry can feel his breath as he says, "Now, pretend you're sucking through a straw and keep the smoke in your mouth until I tell you to. Don't swallow."

"He'd much prefer to be sucking on something else, if you know what I mean," Danny says, his laugh wheezy and as obnoxious as ever, and Harry shoots him a nasty look. Louis laughs and tells Danny to shush, and he turns back to Harry with a smile. He nods, whispering _"go on"_, and Harry closes his eyes and inhales. He feels the smoke filling his mouth and the sensation surprises him, and he lets some of it down his throat. He pushes Louis's hand and starts to cough violently, feeling like he's about to throw up his lungs. Through his coughs, he can hear Danny laughing, and he feels Louis's hand patting and rubbing his back.

"Oh, my _God_, what a fuckin' _baby_ you are!" Danny screams out, practically howling, and Harry watches him through teary eyes. "Can't even take a proper hit!" Embarrassment fills his body as he continues to cough and he can't even look at Louis.

"Shut the fuck up, Dan, it's his first time," Louis snaps, and Harry hears him give a smack to Danny, who can't seem to stop laughing. Harry wants to punch him in his throat. "You alright, Harry?"

Harry wipes his eyes with his sleeves and nods, letting out the last few coughs left in his throat. Louis keeps rubbing his back and moves closer, and Harry feels like his heart's about to burst from his chest. Louis's smell envelops him and he feels like he's about to float through the ceiling, and he stops himself just in time when he feels his head going in to rest on his shoulder.

"Lou, why don't you give him a kiss while you're at it? Look at him, he's absolutely _mad_ for you!" Danny says, making kissy noses and cackling, and Harry's had enough. He jumps from his seat and punches Danny square in the face, taking his older brother by surprise, and he turns on his heels and marches toward the kitchen, hands balled into fists.

_"Fuck, my nose is fucking bleeding, Lou!"_ he hears Danny yell, his voice muffled, and Harry's veins are burning with fury, eyes red and stinging. He turns the chair so the back's facing the living room and sits down, his breaths coming out quick and ragged. The next second, he can hear footsteps behind him but he doesn't look back to see who it is. A chair is pulled up next to him and he smells Louis before he sees him. He lifts his head for a second to confirm and brings it back to the floor.

"You alright, mate?" Louis asks, placing a hand on Harry's back. Harry nods and wipes his eyes with the side of his fist. Louis starts rubbing his back again. "I know your brother's a fucking prick but don't let him get to you, okay?"

"I fucking hate his guts," Harry manages, his voice cracking again, but this time he doesn't care. He can't be any more embarrassed as he is.

"That was a nice punch, though, I have to admit," Louis says with a chuckle, and Harry looks up and meets his eyes.

"Yeah?"

Louis nods, punches the air in front of him, and mimics Danny's shocked reaction. Harry feels laughter bubbling in his throat and his heart's going a hundred kilometers an hour. "Got him right in the nose. His face was _priceless_."

They laugh and Harry's feeling like floating again, like he's treading in the ocean and there's no land for miles. He looks at Louis and he stares right back, a smile stretching his lips. Harry feels his head leaning in but he manages to stop himself, and Louis slowly takes his hand off his back. Harry can't believe he almost leant in for a kiss and he pinches his arm to wake himself up.

"He asked me to get him some ice," Louis starts, pulling Harry away from his stupor, and Harry clings to every word. "But I think I should let him suffer for a little bit. What do you think?"

Harry's lips stretch into a grin and before he knew it, he's nodding, and Louis laughs and stands up.

"Alright," Louis says, reaching a hand, and Harry looks at it, not knowing what to do. "Let's leave him and get something to eat, what do you say?"

Harry looks at him for a few seconds before he nods, and he slowly takes Louis's hand. A jolt runs down his arm all the way to his toes, and he's glad he has Louis to hold on to as he gets to his feet. They take one last look at Danny, head resting on the back of the sofa, eyes on the ceiling, with his hands clamped over his nose to stop the bleeding, and they laugh and slip out the back, Harry feeling like the luckiest boy in the world when he realizes he's finally holding Louis's hand.


End file.
